Sawdust and Tinsel (1953)
"Gycklarnas afton" (original title)

While traveling in caravan through the country of Sweden, one member of the decadent Alberti Circus tells the owner and ringmaster Albert Johansson a sad story about the clown Frost: seven ... See full summary »

Director:

Ingmar Bergman

Stars:

Åke Grönberg, Harriet Andersson, Hasse Ekman

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Åke Grönberg	...	Albert Johansson
Harriet Andersson	...	Anne
Hasse Ekman	...	Frans
Anders Ek	...	Frost
Gudrun Brost	...	Alma
Annika Tretow	...	Agda
Erik Strandmark	...	Jens
Gunnar Björnstrand	...	Mr. Sjuberg
Curt Löwgren	...	Blom
Kiki	...	The Dwarf

Storyline

While traveling in caravan through the country of Sweden, one member of the decadent Alberti Circus tells the owner and ringmaster Albert Johansson a sad story about the clown Frost: seven years ago, his wife Alma was surprised by him bathing naked in a lake with a regiment. When the circus arrives in the town where Albert's wife Agda and sons live, he decides to pay a visit with his young mistress Anne to a famous local troupe to borrow some capes, hats and vests for their tonight show. They are humiliated by the director Mr. Sjuberg, but he lends the pieces, and the lead actor Frans gives an unsuccessful pass on Anne. When Albert decides to visit Agda, the jealous Anne meets Frans, who seduces her with an apparently valuable necklace, and they have a love affair. Anne finds that the necklace is actually worthless and returns to the circus. Meanwhile, Agda refuses to accept Albert back and he sees Anne leaving the theater and going to the jewelry. During the exhibition, Albert and ...

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Plot Keywords:

circus | mistress | clown | sweden | bear | 

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Taglines:

DESPERATELY they fought the desires, the passions that dragged them down deeper and deeper into... "The Naked Night"

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Sweden

Language:

Swedish

Release Date:

9 April 1956 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Naked Night

Filming Locations:

Arild, Skåne län, Sweden

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sandrews

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Originally marketed in the States as a sex film under the title "The Naked Night".

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Quotes

Anne: I can crack nuts with my teeth too.
Frans: Now I'm scared.

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Connections

Referenced in Ingmar Bergman on Life and Work (1998)

User Reviews

One of Bergman´s masterpieces

This is one of his earlier film productions. After have done this it did get bad critic and was no big hit at all in Sweden. But in France for example people who was interested in film saw it. So it helped Bergman to become more famous international. This film is still a masterpiece.

"You live and don´t care about how bad everything can be" is what I would call the message for this film. The opening scene is masterful and it´s a very dark(but what do you expect from Bergman?)film. The lightening and settings are very good and the cinematography is fantastic(The scenes that are filmed inside are filmed by the great Sven Nykvist). The way that the camera moves is fantastic and the way it films in to mirror´s. Also many of the actors and actress are giving their performance of their life. Today this film is a very powerful and disturbing film. I would call it a masterpiece.5/5